Why this hit me, I’m not sure, so I’m just throwing it out there. After reading for the past year practically every expert in marketing and advertising from bloggers to media pubs like Ad Age how TV will shift to the internet, I keep waiting for it to happen. And while I wait, I then deduce as only I can that if this happens, that must also mean at some point the FCC will want to step in to regulate it.Now, before you say the internet’s global and not under the control of any one country or entity, yes, that’s correct—in theory. But as Google, MSN and Yahoo! have shown when it comes to China and filtered content, individual countries have no problem blocking what the people can access.
You might also think that well, the internet community will police itself and that censorship is a bad thing–why block what I see? Two reasons, first: Self-policing? Yeah, right. How’s that been working so far. It’s still the Wild West out there. Attempts to regulate comments on blogs and major media is but the first step towards control. Under the guise of ‘civilized’ discussion, the emotion gets weeded out. Censorship never just shows up one day. It happens little by little.
Secondly, regulation is how TV currently works. so why is it far-fetched to think the internet is immune? We have a free and open society now, but is the programming on TV and radio really free to speak its mind? Say the wrong thing, offend the wrong group and sponsors yank their dollars.
George Carlin’s seven dirty words? On most regular TV or cable programming some of them are the norm. (Movies never had that restriction, being an art form and all, but even they have limits, as do certain types of music.) But as far as the internet goes, the only concern I see voiced is how people will monetize it. For brands, content creators or people; it doesn’t matter. They’re all thinking money.
Before that can happen though, seems to me that adoption of the internet as the medium of choice to replace TV would depend on how much it can become as safe as apple pie and Chevrolet. Look at the ‘webisodes’ of much of what passes for branded content and tell me how much is really that edgy? Swearing? Nudity? Not seeing it. Think Ford will put money up for an NC-17 episode?
I imagine it’s the underlying fear of many brands. I love the hits and traffic and clicks and all that, but how can I control my image online when teenangst666 from Iowa does a Hitler-animal sacrifice mash of their TV spot? He could never get that to air on public access. But he can on the internet.
For now.
2 comments:
So lets make the best of it and say cock, shit piss mother fucker, pussy, etc as much as possible. Hell with our blogs alone they'll have a nice list of things to read and have to censor.
FCC regulations blow because they tell us what is good for us. What we can or can't see and often times the drink is watered down to a measly shadow of its former self. But government, lobbyists and greedy scumfucks with multiple standards will eventually have a say on this.
It will all begin with banning an ad that is obviously in poor taste and a detriment to society and continue to chew its way into valuable content that promotes thought and opinions, two things no government wants to deal with.
Might I add.... how many videos have you had blocked on your site..... freedom is an illusion.
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